Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are a class of naturally occurring compounds which have a multitude of biological functions, including the ability to promote cell growth, cell differentiation, adhesion between cells or between cells and matrix proteins, binding of microorganisms and viruses to cells, and metastasis of tumor cells. GSLs are derived from glucosylceramide (GlcCer), which is produced from ceramide and UDP-glucose by the enzyme UDP-glucose: N-acylsphingosine glucosyltransferase (GlcCer synthase). The structure of ceramide is shown below: crystallization after derivitization with optically active reagents, e.g., dibenzoyltartaric acid isomers (see, for example, Inokuchi and Radin, Journal of Lipid Research 28: 565 (1987)). Neither of the processes are amenable to large scale preparations. Enantioselective synthesis of amino ceramide-like compounds using diastereoselective reductions have been reported (Mitchell, et al., J Org. Chem. 63:8837 (1998) and Nishida, et al., SYNLETT 1998. 389 (1998)), but require over ten steps, some of which utilized expensive reagents such as diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIABAL) and Garner Aldehyde (tert-butyl (R)-(+)-4 formyl-2,2-dimethyl-3-oxazolidine carboxylate). Thus, there is a critical need for enantioselective syntheses of amino ceramide-like compounds which are more economical and efficient, and involve fewer steps than known syntheses.